US carries out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island as indirect talks hang in the balance
The United States carried out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island late on Monday, hours after Vice President JD Vance said he was optimistic that diplomacy to end the war was heading the right way. US Central Command confirmed the strikes, which were first disclosed by Iranians on social media, and reports said they targeted surface-to-air missiles used against US assets. US officials told the New York Times the action was defensive and limited, with no immediate plans to escalate.
Why it matters Mediators believe it will become clear within two days whether there is a basis for continuing the indirect talks between Washington and Tehran. The fate of those talks will shape the war's direction, which countries across the region are watching closely.
First polls close in US midterm elections
The first polling stations in the United States closed on Tuesday, marking the start of vote counting in the midterm elections. Voters are deciding whether Democrats or Republicans will control Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump's second term. A poll cited by the BBC found that most voters are dissatisfied with the economy.
Trump says US military aid to Israel will end by year's close
President Donald Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News on US election day that Washington will end its annual military aid to Israel, worth nearly $4bn, at the end of this year. He said Israel does not need the funds, and the New York Times reported he described the move as part of an agreement reached months ago. Fox News quoted him as saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the idea, and that Israel will still be able to buy US weapons.
